Issue 5 | Mediterranews magazine by Terra Peninsular

EDITORIAL LETTER

Message from the

Director T

his February issue of Mediterranews is particularly special for us because we celebrated World Wetlands Day on February 2nd. Therefore, this issue -the first of the year- is focused on wetlands.

Terra Peninsular has been working since 2001 to protect Baja California’s unique landscapes, and wetlands are definitively one of the ecosystems we have sought to protect through different efforts, mainly in San Quintín Bay.

César Guerrero

Wetlands are essential for natural disaster protection, and they’re places with great diversity; wetlands also work as carbon dioxide reservoirs and they prevent erosion, to mention some of their functions in the environment.

Early this month, the Baja California Wetlands Committee was created, and Terra Peninsular is one of the members.

This committee will be important for decision-making regarding wetland protection in Baja California.

I’m sure this committee will work as an alliance between different sectors of society with the goal of protecting these unique ecosystems in the state, since its destruction has increased at an alarming rate in the last years.

César Guerrero Executive Director of Terra Peninsular A.C.

FEBRUARY 2017 02

CONTENTS

Contents TERRA NEWS First Congress of Environmental Protection in Baja California Coast protection in the lagoon complex of San Quintín

SPECIAL ARTICLE Arthropod Museum at CICESE turns 19 FLORA What do Jimi Hendrix and Baja California conservation have in common?

MY LIFE IN TERRA Conservation work in Baja California

WHAT DO WE DO? What is a wetland?

WHAT AND WHERE? Environmental dates

03 MEDITERRANEWS

05

09

13

17 TERRA ACTIONS How can we take care of wetlands?

19 A-Z

21

GLOSSARY

Mediterranews is published in February, April, June, August and December by Terra Peninsular, a non-profit environmental organization that works in Baja California since 2001.

Address: Calle Tercera 1282, Zona Centro, C.P. 22800. Ensenada, Baja California, México.

www.terrapeninsular.org

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@TerraPeninsular @terrapeninsular @TerraPeninsular

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25

CREDITS

Credits COVER PHOTO

DIRECTOR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR EDITORIAL BOARD

Willet (Tringa semipalmata) in a wetland in San Quintín, B.C. Photo: Alan Harper.

César Guerrero Bárbara Ramírez Antonieta Valenzuela Alan Harper César Guerrero Mauricio Guerrero

WRITERS

William H. Clark Stephen McCabe Dan Silver Eduardo Palacios Verónica Meza Gabriela Valle Jorge Andrade Bárbara Ramírez Antonieta Valenzuela

TRANSLATION

Carlos Contreras Bárbara Ramírez Antonieta Valenzuela

COPY EDITOR

Bárbara Ramírez Antonieta Valenzuela

ART AND DESIGN

Laura Tamayo Blank Design Factory For more information or subscription inquiries, please contact info@terrapeninsular.org FEBRUARY 2017 04

TERRA NEWS

First

Environmental Protection

Conference in Baja California Antonieta Valenzuela

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Antonieta Valenzuela and Pro Esteros A.C.

TERRA NEWS

T

he first Environmental Protection Conference took place on February 2 and 3, 2017 in Ensenada, Baja California.

This event was achieved as a joint effort between civil society organizations, the academy, and the government of Baja California through the Secretariat of Environmental Protection.

With the slogan “Joining efforts and sharing achievements in Baja California”, the goal of this conference was to create, maintain, and strengthen a place for meeting and dialogue that promotes alliances and strategies between the civil society organizations, academics, social companies, and the government; this in order to contribute with actions that protect and improve the environment in Baja California.

“We’re very happy for this opportunity to share experiences and knowledge in this conference that will contribute in an important way to build new paradigms to improve public politics for sustainable development in Baja California”, expressed Thelma Castañeda, the Secretary of Environmental Protection, during the inauguration ceremony.

The Secretariat of Environmental Protection in Baja California together with civil society organizations and members of the academic community organized the first Environmental Protection Conference in Ensenada.

Attendees, organizers and volunteers at the end of the first day of the Environmental Protection Conference.

Photo: Pro Esteros A.C. FEBRUARY 2017 06

TERRA NEWS

The two-day program offered 33 presentations and 2 lectures at the State Center of Arts (CEARTE) in Ensenada with the attendance of more than 350 people.

The presentations were based on different topics such as natural protected areas, sustainable management of natural resources, biocultural landscapes, quality and environmental impact, communications and environmental education, as well as regulation and normativity regarding the environment.

In addition, there was a poster presentation at the Riviera Cultural Center with the exhibition of 50 posters. This event was an opportunity for academics, researchers and members of organizations to present their research projects related to environmental conservation in Mexico.

07 MEDITERRANEWS

The Secretariat of Environmental Protection in Baja California together with Wild Coast, INPACVI A.C., Jardín Botánico Todos Santos, Pro Esteros A.C., Pronatura Noroeste, Costas y Océanos Sustentables A.C., Faculty of Marine Sciences of the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC), and Terra Peninsular A.C. organized the conference, which was greatly sponsored by the International Community Foundation (ICF) and Fondo Noroeste (FONNOR, A.C.).

It’s important to mention that during the closing of the event, the Executive Director of Terra Peninsular, César Guerrero, announced that the second Environmental Protection Conference in 2018 will take place in Mexicali, Baja California.

Baja California Wetlands Committee During the inauguration ceremony of the conference, the Baja California Wetlands Committee was created, and its members took the oath. This committee will work to promote protection and conservation actions, as well as to coordinate the effective management and sustainable use of wetlands in Baja California.

The committee was created as part of the celebrations of the World Wetlands Day, on February 2. Baja California is the third state in Mexico, after Jalisco and Oaxaca, to have a wetlands protection committee.

“This Baja California Wetlands Committee seeks to promote protection actions and sustainable

The members of the Baja California Wetlands Committee took the oath during the inauguration ceremony in Ensenada, Baja California.

TERRA NEWS

use of wetlands, staying faithful to the Ramsar Convention”, said Thelma Castañeda, who headed the official act.

“The committee represents an opportunity to protect and sustainably manage these valuable ecosystems and their biodiversity”, she added.

The Baja California Wetlands Committee was integrated by representatives of different sectors such as agricultural, aquiculture and touristic, as well as the government of Baja California through the Secretariat of Environmental Protection; the municipal government of Ensenada through the Department of Ecology and Environment, the Commission of Natural Protected Areas, and non-profit organizations like Pro Esteros A.C., Wild Coast, Pronatura Noroeste and Terra Peninsular.

The poster presentation took place at the Riviera Cultural Center.

The congress included 33 presentations and 2 lectures, also, 50 posters about environmental conservation efforts and projects were exhibited.

The new committee represents an important achievement in environmental conservation and protection of wetlands in Baja California.

FEBRUARY 2017 08

Coast protection in the

lagoon complex of San Quintín Verónica Meza and Antonieta Valenzuela

A

lmost ten years ago, Terra Peninsular and other civil society organizations approached the Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) and the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) to work together to protect hundreds of miles of coastal line in Baja California.

The protection of several coastal areas in the San Quintín Bay was insufficient using the protection tool known as concession, which protects the Federal Terrestrial Maritime Zone in Mexico (ZOFEMAT in Spanish), the strip of land that extends 20 meters inland from the high tide line along all Mexican shores.

Of these 19 areas, 5 were declared as concessions and about 79 acres are protected. On the other hand, 14 areaswould be managed as destination agreements for CONANP and covering more than 3459 acres, including coastal zone environments and the Laguna Figueroa flood zone.

The level of protection of the ZOFEMAT is very similar for the concessions of Terra Peninsular and the destination agreements of CONANP.

The destination agreements are granted to a federal institution competent in the field of environmental protection, such as the CONANP, for a destination of public use in order to conserve ecosystems and protect flora and fauna for an indefiThese areas in the bay had previously been iden- nite period of time. tified as a priority for conservation, and were requested by Terra Peninsular for their protection to the General Direction of the Federal Maritime Zone and Coastal Environments.

As a response to the above, it was strategic for Since 2014, Panteón Inglés Sur wetland is protected as conservation purposes to have a tool that would a destination agreement. Photo: Enrique Alfaro. guarantee the protection of these areas of the bay for a longer period of time, and designating them as destination agreements (other protection tool) Meanwhile, the concessions are the spaces would ensure that the priority coastal areas were granted by SEMARNAT to individuals or organizaeffectively conserved permanently. tions, such as Terra Peninsular, for a specified period of time for use and management.

At that time, 19 coastal areas had been identified as a priority, but were not in concession to indiCurrently, more than 3459 acres of the coast viduals and could be managed for their protection. have been protected by designating them as desti 09 MEDITERRANEWS

TERRA NEWS

Monte Ceniza wetland was declared as a destination agreement in 2016. Photo: Antonieta Valenzuela.

nation agreements and concessions in San Quintín Bay, these spaces are part of the biological heritage of Mexico that remains protected and preserved for the benefit of nature and for the enjoyment of humanity.

The joint work of Terra Peninsular and CONANP on destination agreements and concessions is carried out through a collaboration agreement and annual work plans that define the monitoring, biological monitoring and different activities. The objective is to conserve and protect the biodiversity of the ZOFEMAT and other priority sites, including the Ramsar site, San Ramón beach and Laguna Figueroa in San Quintín.

The protection of the ZOFEMAT in the lagoon complex of San Quintín is in addition to other national initiatives such as the Areas Voluntarily Destined for Conservation (ADVC), which are terrestrial areas certified by CONANP as areas of ecological relevance; and international

Arco Norte wetland was granted as a concession to Terra Peninsular for conservation purposes.

Photo: Enrique Alfaro.

agreements such as the Ramsar Sites, the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) and others, which are areas managed accordingly to strategies and efforts of Terra Peninsular to protect San Quintín Bay.

Check the list of destination agreements and concessions, as well as the references of this article at www.terrapeninsular.org

Also, coordinated participation with research centers in scientific projects related to knowledge of habitats, flora and fauna, is vital for the protection of the ZOFEMAT and the priority areas of San Quintín Bay, as well as the identification of the sites and the causes of disturbance or environmental deterioration.

In addition, protection actions are coordinated with the involvement and participation of local communities and authorities, for example applying temporary economic programs for cleaning and surveillance of the ZOFEMAT in destination agreements, wetlands and adjacent beaches.

Chapala wetland, in San Quintín.

Photo: Antonieta Valenzuela.

FEBRUARY 2017 10

TERRA NEWS

For a period of 15 years, Terra Peninsular acquired 5 concessions near the wetlands Chapala, Kenton Norte, Kenton Sur, Arco Norte and Arco Sur, a total of 79 acres.

The management of destination agreements is being effective since one more wetland is protected: Sudoeste, with an extension of 12 acres.

2008-2009

A new destination agreement protects 18.6 acres of Panteón Inglés Sur wetland.

2014

The year of more extension reached in the coast, now 3535.8 acres are protected: Arco Central, San Simón, Molino Viejo and Monte Ceniza wetlands, Punta Mazo Barra Interior and San Ramón beach, as well as Laguna Figueroa.

2016

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2012

Two destination agreements this year: Panteón Inglés Norte and Punta Azufre wetlands (27.8 acres). The first work plan with CONANP is signed for management of priority areas in San Quintín Bay, destination agreements and concessions within the Ramsar site.

2015

Two new destination agreements in Laguna Figueroa and Barra Mazo Exterior beach. With a total of 251 protected acres, there are only 74 acres left to reach the goal established almost 10 years ago.

2017

SPECIAL ARTICLE

Arthropod Museum at CICESE turns 19 Did you know there is a major entomology collection in Ensenada?

William H. Clark

William H. Clark

D

uring June 1997, following field work in the Sierra San Pedro Martir, I met with Dr. Horacio de la Cueva, Dr. Ernesto Franco, and Celerino Montes at Horacio’s home in Ensenada, to discuss future plans and collaborations for ecological, natural history and entomological related field work in Baja California. This is often remembered as the “vino” meeting.

The proposal was made that more entomology needed to be done and Horacio offered a room at CICESE for the beginnings of an insect collection to help document and house some of the biodiversity of Baja California, and I agreed to help start such a collection.

Some brief plans and collaborations were discussed.

The collection was also started partly as a response to Mexican Government collecting permit requirements stating that a portion of collections made in the country should be placed in a Mexican institution. There was no such collection in Baja California, so this seemed like a good time to start such. In addition, the CICESE collection made a logical choice for us to deposit voucher specimens of our long-term entomological and natural history research in the peninsula. Such a collection makes a good place to help document some of the unique biodiversity of the peninsula.

Technician, Eulogio Lopez, curating a recent collection of insects he made in the desert. September 19, 2016.

Photo: W.H. Clark.

Upon my return to Idaho, I consulted with colleagues, Dr. David M. Ward and Paul E.

SPECIAL ARTICLE

A sample of the Coleoptera (beetle) collection, showing the housing in CAS cabinets, drawers and unit trays.

September 19, 2016. Photo: W.H. Clark.

Blom regarding this proposal.

We began pulling together surplus items from the Orma J. Smith Museum of Natural History that might be useful in establishing an entomology collection in Mexico. Eventually we identified a surplus office desk, some chairs, several bookcases, a typewriter and small work tables, duplicate entomological books and journals, and many office and laboratory supplies for insect curation.

In mid-November 1997, Dave and I loaded up his large truck and my dual axle trailer with these materials and supplies. We had arranged with a large collection in California to obtain 4 surplus California Academy of Sciences insect cabinets and drawers, on our way south to Baja California. We loaded up the cabinets and drove through customs at the border, processed the load, and drove on to Ensenada. We unloaded the materials into a storage room at CICESE in the Oceanography building (which housed the Terrestrial Ecology group at that time).

My wife, Mary, and I returned to CICESE in June 1998, and mo-

ved the items into the new home for the entomology collection, Room 128. The collection was formally dedicated on June 12, 1998. That summer two of our daughters, Cindy and Karen, spent the summer in Ensenada and helped organize the original collection.

The move to Biomedical Building (our new home, across from the Library) at CICESE was accomplished during October 2014. Thanks to Dr. Steve Bullock for his persistence and detail

Bill Clark in the new museum location.

October 6, 2014.

Photo: M.H. Clark..

oriented work in insuring that we had a proper room for the Arthropod Museum and adequate space for the collection.

We are now located in the Department of Biomedical Innovation, Room 306. Mary and I spent a week helping move the collection and associated furniture and supplies, with the help of the CICESE grounds crew and others, such as Mario Salazar and Dr. Eric Mellink. Once most of the items in the room were moved, we moved the collection ourselves.

The new space is much improved over the old location. It has a tile floor for ease in cleaning and adequate workspace for specimen curation. We expanded the space for the pinned collection from the 4 insect cabinets in the old museum to 18 cabinets in the new location. This is allowing us to properly organize the collection and allow working room for expansion. We still have some needs for the collection, including additional insect unit trays to fill the new insect drawers.

With the new space to house FEBRUARY 2017 14

SPECIAL ARTICLE the Arthropod Museum and support from CICESE, we are beginning to bring to the collection specimens that have been collected in Baja California, but have been out of the country for identification and research purposes; and now our collection gives this material a home in Mexico.

The insect collection has the approval of the Mexican government: Listed in CONABIO (1999) “Síntesis del estado de las colecciones biológicas Mexicanas” and is registered as scientific collection #BC-IN-165-0704 with SEMARNAT since 2004.

Dr. Sara Ceccarelli has just been hired by CICESE and part of her duties will be to oversee the collection, and Enrique Zamora acts as a local collection manager at this time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR William H. Clark is a visiting investigator at the Arthropod Museum of the Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education at Ensenada (CICESE), and is Director of the Orma J. Smith Museum of Natural History, The College of Idaho, Caldwell, ID, USA. Email: bclark@collegeofidaho.edu and clarkfam1@mindspring.com

MUSEO DE ARTRÓPODOS DE CICESE Departamento de Innovación Biomédica, 306 Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3918 Zona Playitas Código Postal 22860 Apdo. Postal 360 Ensenada, B.C. México

We are very active in doing identifications of insects and other arthropods to the public on request; also, the collection is used for outreach and education by various groups at CICESE, tours are given on request, and scientists conducting research involving the collection have published the results in scientific journals. The collection is also used for student research at CICESE and UABC. We have had the help and support of many organizations and individuals over the years, especially the Schlinger Foundation who supported the collection with several grants. Also, scientists in Mexico and the United States have contributed time, specimens, and materials for the collection; many entomologists from the United States have volunteered their time to help organize the collection and identify specimens; and several thesis projects have been completed over the years with use of the collection and involvement of the museum staff.

15 MEDITERRANEWS

Examples of Phobetus desertus Blom and Clark, from Valle de los Cirios, one of many species of insect new to science, described from our collections and research in Baja California. The species was described by Paul Blom and William Clark. Photo: W.H. Clark.

What do Jimi Hendrix and

Baja California conservation have in common?

Stephen McCabe

O

ne of my great moments as a concert attendee was to be able to get up close to watch Jimi Hendrix at the Northern California Folk Rock Festival in 1969 when I was 15.

Jimi Hendrix performing at the Northern California Folk Rock Festival in 1969.

Photo: Stephen McCabe.

Sure, I saw the Rolling Stones, the Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan, B.B. King, the Beach Boys (a little past their prime), the Jefferson Airplane in their prime, Janis Joplin from far back in a crowd, and the Grateful Dead, but Hendrix was special.

17 MEDITERRANEWS

During the long day of music at the Festival the crowd spread out and my friend Howard Hopkirk creatively worked us between people almost up to the stage. I only had a standard lens and six images left on the roll, but I got shots of Hendrix playing with his teeth and dramatically finishing a song.

Decades later, my colleague Mark Dodero was exploring Colonet, in Baja California, Mexico.

This peninsula is famous among botanists of the region as a hot spot of diversity, with many plants found only in this small area. Mark was listening to “Voodoo Child” by Jimi when he stumbled upon a new species of liveforever (genus Dudleya), heretofore unknown to science.

Mark wrote his thesis on dudleyas and had already named another new species, but years later hadn’t named this one on Colonet Mesa.

After working in Yosemite I studied dudleyas, which are succulent plants, on my way to a Master’s degree in 1985.

Mark asked for some plants later, so I shared some with him as he worked on his Master’s

degree. At a conference I saw a talk by Mark and photos by Alan Harper (president of the board of Terra Peninsular) of an unnamed species from Colonet Mesa.

Years later, the species had not yet been named, so I joined an expedition to Baja California to try to see the undescribed species. On a several day trip, Alan and I managed to break off from the group to look for the species. Alan led me right to the population. Within an hour, I had collected data about the plants and how they differed from other dudleyas.

Returning home, I contacted Mark and asked when he was going to name the species. He was extremely busy at the time,

Dudleya hendrixii is a plant species found in Punta Colonet, Baja California, Mexico.

Photo: Alan Harper.

FLORA FLORA so we decided to join forces and enlisted Mike Simpson of San Diego State as a collaborator.

Mark said I could work on the species as long as we named it after Jimi Hendrix. With my past association with and fondness for the music, we agreed on the name.

On December 15, 2016, we announced the name of the new succulent, Dudleya hendrixii, and releasing to the public for the first time two of the Hendrix photos I made back in the sixties, in hopes that this paired announcement of the photos

Jimi Hendrix photo revealed for the first time

by Stephen McCabe.

and a new plant species will generate interest in preserving this species.

I also hope that the other rare species and rare habitats can be brought into the discussion.

That means not just the succulent species, but shrubs and the vernal pool species too.

There are still distinctive species to be discovered and the Dudleya hendrixii is just one more example that there is much more to learn about the plants and animals of natural areas in Baja California.

Dudleya hendrixii was named after Jimi Hendrix.

Photo: Alan Harper.

HOW TO HELP? For donations for Dudleya hendrixii research, please write at swmccabe@gmail.com or smccabe@ucsc.edu ABOUT STEPHEN MCCABE Stephen McCabe is Emeritus Director of Research of the Arboretum at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

DECEMBER FEBRUARY2016 2017 10 18

MY LIFE IN TERRA

Conservation work in

Baja California Dan Silver / Board member of Terra Peninsular

A

s a conservationist working to protect land in Southern California, I was keen to explore the landscapes of Baja California. On road trips from top to bottom, I found a saga of ever changing natural communities; vast, intact landscapes and a spectacular coast; and a bi-national ecological continuum.

There were hard truths in desert rocks and cacti, and subtle truths in soft grey-green hills. I found warm people who were glad to help a traveler. But I also saw threats in Baja California similar to those in the United States, such as agriculture that was ruining land with salinization, and urban sprawl.

I attended a meeting of an organization devoted to Baja’s es-

19 MEDITERRANEWS

tuaries and met some of those who went on to found Terra Peninsular. My own group – Endangered Habitats League – helped the fledging organization in small ways and was able to direct funds for different conservation projects. We became Terra’s “fiscal sponsor” in the United States and handled donations from U.S. citizens and payroll for contractors in the U.S. I was honored when asked to join Terra’s board. It has since been my privilege to collaborate with talented and committed Mexican conservationists, and to become part of Terra’s globally significant achievements in magnificent San Quintin Bay – which is roughly what San Diego Bay was like 150 years ago.

Alan Harper

I have since watched Terra Peninsular grow organizationally under inspired staff leadership.

I have learned about a new level of dedication, with a spirit of optimism and sense of new frontiers.

There is enormous potential, not just in traditional conservation but in integrating resource-compatible economies with the natural world. There are also tough c h al l e n ge s, c h al l e n g e s m uch different than my experience in the United States had prepared me for.

Terra Peninsular is the right organization at the right time. We are lucky to have an opportunity to make a difference in a place where a difference can still be made. I urge you to be part of it.

WHAT DO WE DO?

21 MEDITERRANEWS

WHAT DO WE DO?

FEBRUARY 2017 22

WHAT AND WHERE?

Environmental dates Environmental days 2017 FEBRUARY

2017 MARCH

2

World Wetlands Day

3

World Wildlife Day

5

Constitution Day (Mexico)

14

International Day of Action for Rivers

13

Golden Eagle Day (Mexico)

21

International Day of Forests

14

World Energy Day

21

24

Flag Day (Mexico)

Birth of Benito Juarez (Mexico) and First Day of Spring

22

World Water Day

23 MEDITERRANEWS

TERRA ACTIONS

How can we take care of

wetlands?

Verónica Meza, Gabriela Valle, Jorge Andrade, Bárbara Ramírez and Antonieta Valenzuela

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WETLANDS: • Know the importance of this type of ecosystem and its ecological role.

• Learn more about the importance of wetlands here: http://www.worldwetlandsday.org/es/

FRIENDLY ACTIONS: • Walk your dogs with a leash so they don’t disturb the animals that inhabit the zone.

• Pick up your trash and invite others to do the same.

• Bring garbage bags and dispose them in appropriate trash containers.

• Respect the flora and fauna of the wetlands.

GET INVOLVED: • Organize or join wetland clean-up campaigns.

• Participate in decisions and actions to protect wetlands in your city.

AVOID: • Using fertilizers or toxic substances in the wetlands.

• Causing noise pollution.

• Filling or building houses near the wetlands.

• Driving vehicles, motorcycles and jet skis.

References: RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES: • Kayak • Fishing • Hiking • Photography • Birdwatching

• World Wetlands Day. Retrieved from http:// www.worldwetlandsday.org/es/ • Cartilla al Alma de los Humedales. Retrieved from http://www.ambientebogota.gov.co/web/ publicaciones-sda/cartilla-al-alma-de-los-humedales • Sitios Ramsar, CONANP. Retrieved from www. ramsar.conanp.gob.mx

FEBRUARY 2017

24

A-Z

GLOSSARY

Glossary

of terms Arthropods: The arthropods are invertebrate animals. Types of arthropods include insects, arachnids, crustaceans and myriapods.

CICESE: Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education at Ensenada.

CONABIO: National Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity in Mexico.

CONANP: National Commission of Natural Protected Areas in Mexico.

Curating: Selecting, organizing and managing the items that are part of a collection.

Dudleya: Succulent plants belonging to the genus Dudleya and family Crassulaceae.

Entomology: One of the areas of Biology that studies the world of insects. The word entomology comes from the Greek entomon “insect”, and logos “science”.

25 MEDITERRANEWS

SEMARNAT: The distance between the wing tips of a bird.

Succulent plants: Plants that inhabit desert areas and that have thick leaves and stems capable of storing water in order to survive during long drought periods.

An example is the cactus which belongs to the succulent plant family Cactaceae.

WHSRN: The Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network is a conservation strategy launched in the USA in 1986 that protects over 36.7 million acres of shorebird habitats in 96 sites in 15 countries.

ZOFEMAT: ZOFEMAT stands for Zona Federal Marítimo Terrestre, or the terrestrial federal maritime zone.

This is a strip of land that extends 20 meters inland from the high tide line along all Mexican shores.